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Walker, Paxton done in by defense in 'B' game

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Walker earns win in relief 0:50

3/4/13: Taijuan Walker gives up three runs on four hits against the Rockies in two innings of relief work, but earns the win

By Greg Johns
/
MLB.com |

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Top pitching prospect Taijuan Walker gave up two runs in two innings of a 6-0 loss to the Indians in a seven-inning "B" game on Thursday, though the 20-year-old right-hander didn't get a lot of help from his defense.

Both Walker's runs were earned, but the leadoff hit was a double that sailed over the head of left fielder Vinnie Catricala -- who has played third base most of the spring -- and the next batter drove a ground ball that just eluded second baseman Timmy Lopes, an 18-year-old Minor Leaguer called up to fill out the squad.

The Indians proceeded to get a clean single off Walker, Seattle's No. 1 prospect and MLB.com's No. 5 overall prospect, to drive in one run, then sandwiched a sacrifice fly around a pair of strikeouts to finish off his session.

Walker, combining a mid-90s fastball with a couple of nasty curves, struck out two in his first inning of work and finished with four punchouts in his two innings while throwing 35 pitches.

James Paxton, the Mariners' No. 5 prospect and No. 61 overall prospect, continued a rough stretch this spring by giving up four runs and needing 47 pitches to get through the first two innings before being replaced by Walker. Paxton, who was knocked out of his last Cactus League start after just two-thirds of an inning by the A's, didn't get much help from his teammates, either.

All four of Paxton's runs were unearned after a pair of errors by shortstop Nick Franklin in the second inning. The left-hander gave up three hits and a walk that frame and finished the day with four runs and four hits with one walk and no strikeouts.

Dustin Ackley, the only Mariners' regular position player in the lineup, went 1-for-3 with a leadoff single in the first.